How to dress for success at Goldman Sachs

You work for Goldman Sachs’ deal-making team, so should you follow the example of CEO Lloyd Blankfein and grow a ‘nuzzly’ beard? How about going ‘off piste’ like president and CFO Gary Cohn, and wear an orange tie with green diagonal stripes?

Is there such a thing as a Goldman Sachs uniform? Forget Ferragamo loafers – the ‘ultimate status symbol’ at the US investment bank – it helps if you have a nicely fitting white shirt.

Goldman Sachs is reportedly more relaxed than most investment banks when it comes to what its employees wear. However, based on the 46 male front office bankers featured in Goldman Sachs’ annual report this year, peer pressure plays a big part in people’s wardrobe decisions.

[caption id="attachment_211512" align="alignnone" width="495"] Grey is a popular choice of suit colour[/caption]

By far and away the most popular combo is a dark grey suit and a white shirt, often accompanied by a darker blue tie. Some show their personality by wearing no tie, although these bankers invariably work in the technology advisory teams. Conversely, a purple tie is a method of demonstrating your ‘quirky’ side.

There are, however, no pink shirts and not a single pin-stripe in sight.

And what of emulating Lloyd Blankfein’s beard? Martin Chavez, chief information officer at Goldman, has a similar nuzzly effect with his facial hair, but vice chairman Mark Schwartz is approaching hipster levels of bushiness.